The present disclosure generally relates to a hazard warning system for a raised floor having removable flooring panels.
A raised floor is an elevated structural floor spaced above a solid substrate to create a hidden sub-floor void. Many modern building environments incorporate a raised floor. The void provides for the passage of various building services such as electrical and optical cabling, plumbing, and underfloor air distribution. One example of such a building environment is a data center. A data center is typically a room in which rows of data processing and/or telecommunications equipment are installed, each separated from each other by intervening access aisles. The void beneath the raised floor provides space for the routing of services to and between the installed equipment, such as electrical power distribution cabling, communications cabling, plumbing for fluid cooling systems, and a plenum chamber for distribution of conditioned air. The raised floor usually comprises a plurality of removable panels or tiles supported above the underlying substrate by a framework. The framework typically comprises a plurality of equally spaced vertical pedestals defining the height at which the raised floor is raised above the substrate, and thereby defining, along with the floor area, the enclosed volume of the void. The framework also typically comprises a plurality of horizontal stringers arranged in a grid structure of laterally disposed stringers superimposed upon longitudinally disposed stringers, with intersecting stringers meeting each other at right angles. The grid structure thereby divides the raised floor area into a two dimensional array of spaces each sized to accommodate a floor panel or tile. The grid structure is supported above the substrate by the pedestals. Each pedestal is typically situated with one end abutting the substrate and the other end supporting an intersection between a longitudinally disposed stringer and laterally disposed stringer. Depending on the load that the raised floor is expected to carry, not all intersections in the gird structure may be supported by a pedestal. It will be appreciated however that, if the raised floor is expected to be heavily loaded, every intersection may be supported by a pedestal. In another conventional raised flooring system, there are no stringers and instead each corner of a floor panel is supported by a separate pedestal so that, except at the edges of the raised floor, each pedestal supports the meeting corners of four adjacent panels. The substrate is typically a concrete floor. The stringers and pedestals are typically formed from a metal such as steel. The panels are typically formed from steel or steel-clad particleboard.
As indicated earlier, the panels are typically removable to facilitate access to the services in the void, for example for installation or maintenance. When a panel is removed, a potential hazard is created because personnel may not see the gap in the raised floor thereby created and inadvertently fall into the void, leading to possible injury. Conventionally, this problem has been addressed by the provision of portable warning signs or barriers. This conventional approach has disadvantages. Such barriers or signs may be removed, deliberately or inadvertently. Additionally, such barriers or signs must be stored when not in use and replaced after use, and the storage location needs to be convenient. It would be desirable to provide a hazard warning system which addresses these problems.